Strategic Stewardship: Building Lasting Donor Relationships-Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The discussion, hosted by CASE Asia Pacific, centered on strategic stewardship and building lasting donor relationships within the advancement community, featuring Austin Tomlinson (Chief Advancement Officer, Singapore American School) and Lynn Wester (Founder, Donor Relations Guru Group). Both experts emphasized the importance of personal connections and authentic communication in fundraising, highlighting that giving is largely an emotional decision. Lynn underscored the value of treating donors as partners, using personalized and relatable communication, and having an authentic institutional personality that emphasizes donor impact rather than organizational achievements.<br /><br />Austin shared insights from his experience managing fundraising campaigns and alumni relations in diverse settings, stressing systematic outreach, community engagement, and leveraging technology to personalize communications at scale. Examples included customized impact reports and using multiple touchpoints like newsletters and social media, particularly emphasizing concise, engaging content rather than lengthy communications.<br /><br />The panelists addressed common challenges such as donor fatigue, staff turnover, and pledge fulfillment, advocating for stewardship-focused approaches rather than transactional ones. They recommended building multiple relationships with donors, involving volunteers as champions, and ensuring consistent contact even during staff transitions. Creative, donor-centered storytelling with strong visuals and immersive narratives was presented as a best practice to deepen engagement.<br /><br />The session concluded with an emphasis on continuous learning, curiosity about donor motivations, and the need for innovation in stewardship. Participants were encouraged to submit further questions, and announcements highlighted upcoming CASE global events aimed at advancing professional development in the field.

Keywords

strategic stewardship

donor relationships

fundraising communication

emotional giving

personalized outreach

community engagement

donor fatigue

volunteer involvement

donor-centered storytelling

professional development